Project Background for the Sustainable Transportation Equity Project

Contact

Project Goals

CARB’s clean mobility programs fund projects that facilitate community-led transportation planning and increase access to clean transportation choices beyond personal vehicles. These programs ultimately focus on planning and mobility strategies that shift the nature of the state’s transportation systems toward clean, active, and shared modes of transportation – especially in lower-income communities that have lacked transportation choices.

STEP is a multi-faceted grant program that funds projects to increase transportation equity in disadvantaged and low-income communities by 1) addressing local transportation needs identified by community residents, 2) improving access to key destinations and services, and 3) reducing GHG emissions and vehicle miles traveled. STEP aims to foster equitable transportation systems that address unique local transportation barriers; shift decision-making power to the communities the system serves; and improve the quality of life for low-income people, people of color, and residents of communities disproportionately impacted by air pollution or who lack access to housing, jobs, and services. STEP has the flexibility to fund a combination of different types of clean transportation and supporting project components within a single community to help meet locally specific needs identified by residents. Eligible projects include active transportation infrastructure; new or expanded public transit and shared mobility services;  land use planning and housing policy development including anti-displacement policies; and workforce development, planning, and capacity building activities that support clean transportation and transportation equity. STEP prioritizes projects that reduce passenger vehicle miles traveled and support long-term mode shift toward active transportation like walking and biking and public transit.

Guiding Legislation/Policy Drivers

The following key legislation guides the priorities and implementation of STEP:

  • SB 150 (Allen, Chapter 646, Statues of 2017): Directed CARB to assess each region’s progress on achieving regional GHG emissions reduction targets per SB 375. STEP focuses on projects that support sustainable communities, attempting to address some of the complex transportation and land use challenges identified in the Draft 2022 Progress Report for California’s Sustainable Communities and Climate Protection Act.
  • SB 350 (De León, Chapter 547, Statues of 2015): Directed CARB to conduct a study to better understand the barriers low-income residents must overcome to increase access to zero-emission and near zero-emission transportation and mobility options and develop recommendations to increase access. STEP incorporates key recommendations from CARB’s Senate Bill 350 Guidance Document, providing the flexibility to fund many different types of clean transportation and supporting projects in a single community to help meet unique needs within that community's context.

Project Funding History

STEP as a dedicated funding category began with the Fiscal Year (FY) 2019-20 Funding Plan.

  • FY 2019-20 funding
    • In 2020, CARB held public workgroup meetings and a public comment period regarding a new funding concept. This public process culminated in the development of STEP.
    • In 2020, CARB released a competitive solicitation for STEP applications. Applicants to this first solicitation requested $109 million, totaling five times more funding than the amount available.
    • CARB awarded $19.5 million to 3 STEP Implementation Grants and 8 STEP Planning Grants.
  • FY 2020-21 funding
    • No STEP allocations were recommended this FY.
  • FY 2021-22 funding
    • In 2021, CARB awarded $17.8 million to 3 STEP Implementation Grants from the 2020 solicitation. This included 2 new grants and the remaining budget from a previously partially awarded grant.
  • FY 2022-23 funding
    • In 2023, CARB released a joint competitive Request for Applications for Planning, CMIS, and STEP applications. The Concept Phase was oversubscribed by over six times the available funding. CARB awarded $17.2 million to 3 STEP grants.
  • FY 2023-24 funding
    • In 2024, CARB awarded $17.9 million to 4 STEP grants from the 2023 Request for Applications. This included 3 new grants and the remaining budget from a previously partially awarded grant.

CARB held three public workgroups and a public comment period in spring 2023 to discuss changes to CMIS and STEP prior to releasing the Request for Applications in summer 2023. The main updates CARB made based on this public process were to align requirements between Planning, CMIS, and STEP and to develop a streamlined, two-phased application process and simplified application materials to facilitate access to funding.

Project Info/Reports

The FY 2022-23 joint Request for Applications opened July 24, 2023 and closed November 3, 2024. Materials are posted on the Request for Applications webpage.

Planning, CMIS, and STEP 2023 Draft Requirements and Public Process

CARB hosted three public work group meetings between December 2022 and March 2023 to gather public feedback on the design of the current Request for Applications and used input from these meetings to develop a Draft Requirements and Criteria document. The Draft Requirements and Criteria underwent public comment in March 2023 and stakeholder comments from that period were considered when finalizing the Request for Applications.

STEP 2020 Solicitation Documents and Results

STEP 2020 Proposal Guidance Documents

The resources linked below were intended to help with project and proposal development during STEP's 2020 solicitation. CARB updated these resources for the current Planning and Capacity Building, CMIS, and STEP Request for Applications.